Online drum machine
Program a drum loop on a 16-step grid, start from rock, hip-hop, house or reggaeton presets, and play the pads on top.
Pick a preset or tap the steps, then press Play.
Drum pads (keys 1–6):
How to make a beat
- Each row is a drum and each of the 16 squares is a sixteenth note, so one row is one bar of 4/4. Shaded columns mark the four beats.
- Tap a square to turn a hit on or off, then press Play. The highlighted column shows where the loop is.
- Start with a preset and change it: a rock beat is kick on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4, and eighth-note hi-hats.
- Swing delays every second sixteenth a little, which gives hip-hop and shuffle grooves their bounce.
- Play the pads (or keys 1–6) over the loop to practise finger drumming.
Beat recipes
- Four on the floor (house, disco): kick on every beat (steps 1, 5, 9, 13), clap on 5 and 13, open hat on the off-beats (3, 7, 11, 15). 120–128 BPM.
- Boom bap (hip-hop): kick on 1 and around 11, snare on 5 and 13, closed hats on eighths, some swing. 85–95 BPM.
- Dembow (reggaeton): kick on every beat, snare on steps 4, 7, 12 and 15. About 95 BPM.
About the sounds
All drums are synthesised in the browser with Web Audio oscillators and noise, so the page needs no sample downloads and nothing is uploaded. Patterns are not saved when you leave; take a screenshot to keep one.
Questions
How do I make a beat online?
Choose a preset or Empty, tap squares to add kick, snare and hi-hat hits, then press Play. Each row is one bar of sixteen steps.
Can I change the tempo while it plays?
Yes. Move the tempo slider and the loop follows on the next step.
Can I export the beat as audio?
No, this page is for sketching and practice. Use a DAW or the app for performance.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The grid scrolls sideways on narrow screens and the pads respond to touch.
What does swing do?
It pushes every second sixteenth note later, turning a straight groove into a shuffle.
From the same developer
- Drums n Piano: drum kit, piano and xylophone on iPhone.
- Virtual piano: add chords over your beat.